So China may bury us yet

I really thought that Ikea would be the first big foreign entry into the US casket market with some sort of assembly-required Viking funeral line, but I was wrong. From USAToday via Yahoo Business news:

China adds to funeral troubles

Add another item to the growing list of cheaper goods China is cranking out for U.S. consumers: coffins.

Chinese casket makers have captured less than 2% of the U.S. market since entering it about three years ago. But that's enough to worry the funeral industry, where caskets are a key source of profit. Chinese makers are expected to boost production further, as they have in other sectors they now dominate, from electronics to shoes....

Caskets made in China sell for as much as 25% less than those built in the USA, says Troy Shockley of Greenville Funeral Supply, a leading importer based in South Carolina….

Caskets often represent as much as half the average $6,500 cost of a traditional funeral, excluding cemetery expenses. What's more, they carry a big mark-up: as much as 600%, says the Funeral Consumers Alliance, a non-profit group that is the lead plaintiff in one of the price-fixing lawsuits.

Now, if you're looking for a bargain but you're still determined to go with "Made in the USA," Costco may be you're answer.

Costco sells metal caskets for as little as $925, including shipping. The chain would not reveal exact sales figures. But consumer response has been good. "We are pleased with the results," says Gary Ojendyk, vice president and general merchandise manager.

Or you could just lie to your loved ones and, taking a tip from Bush staffers, put black electrical tape over the "Made in China" sticker.